Bangladesh Pilot Shows New Industry–TVET Model Can Close Skills-to-Jobs Gap

Bangladesh is taking a major step toward reducing persistent skills mismatches in the labour market, as a re-modelled industrial attachment pilot demonstrates how stronger partnerships between industries and polytechnic institutes can better prepare diploma graduates for decent work.

Implemented under the International Labour Organization's (ILO) ProGRESS project, the pilot introduced a more structured, outcome-driven approach to workplace-based learning — helping young graduates transition more smoothly from technical education into employment.

The initiative was led by the Technical and Madrasah Education Division (TMED) in collaboration with the Directorate of Technical Education (DTE) and the Bangladesh Technical Education Board (BTEB), with funding support from Global Affairs Canada (GAC).

Tackling a Long-Standing Skills Mismatch Challenge

Bangladesh's growing industries continue to face difficulties recruiting job-ready diploma graduates, while young people completing Technical and Vocational Education and Training (TVET) programmes often struggle to secure decent employment.

Under the BTEB curriculum, diploma students must complete a 16-week industrial attachment during their final semester. However, employer surveys and tracer studies have shown that traditional attachments frequently lack:

• Clear learning objectives

• Meaningful supervision

• Strong alignment with workplace demands

As a result, many attachments fail to provide the practical competencies and professional behaviours employers expect.

A Re-Modelled Approach: From Placement to Career Pathway

The pilot reimagined industrial attachment not as a routine placement, but as a structured education-to-employment pathway.

Drawing on the ILO's global Education-to-Employment framework, the new model introduced several innovations, including:

• Industry-led pre-screening of students

• Customized work-readiness training before placement

• Stronger mentoring and supervision inside companies

• Assessment based on real workplace tasks

• Joint monitoring by institutes and industries

This shift ensured attachments were no longer passive observations, but active learning experiences linked to employment outcomes.

Pilot Implementation in Chattogram: Industry Meets Education

The pilot involved 47 diploma students from:

• Chattogram Polytechnic Institute

• Bangladesh Sweden Polytechnic Institute

Students were placed with six leading industries in Chattogram:

• BSRM

• GPH Ispat

• Confidence Cement

• Maf Shoes

• Rancon Group

• CPDL

Building Workplace Readiness Through Soft Skills and Digital Training

Before entering the workplace, students completed a one-month preparatory phase focused on digital literacy and essential soft skills, such as:

• Communication

• Teamwork

• Workplace etiquette

• Professional behaviour

This was followed by three months of supervised industry-based training, where students worked under dedicated industry mentors and were assessed on performance.

The programme concluded with reporting, joint evaluation, retention interviews, and career guidance support for students not immediately absorbed into employment.

As of mid-January 2026, 45 students completed the pilot, with many progressing toward job interviews and receiving employment offers from host companies.

Employers Report Stronger Professionalism and Reduced Recruitment Costs

At a Post-Industrial Attachment Pilot Stakeholders' Dialogue held in Dhaka on 20 January 2026, government, industry, TVET institutions and development partners reviewed lessons learned and discussed scaling up.

Industry partners highlighted improvements in students' discipline, professionalism and workplace engagement.

Md Rabiul Hossain, Group Head of HR at BSRM, stressed the need for polytechnic institutes to establish dedicated career guidance cells, noting that soft skills and professional attitudes are critical for workplace success.

Rajes Singha of CPDL called for greater engagement of occupation-specific industry experts through guest lectures during coursework.

KM Shaker Hossain of Maf Shoes emphasized embedding soft skills training directly into diploma curricula to foster positive mindsets toward industrial work environments.

Rancon Group's HR & Training Manager Shah Symoom Mohammod added that students demonstrated strong technical understanding and enthusiasm for practical field-level learning.

Students Gain Confidence, Career Clarity and Real-World Skills

Students reported that the structured approach helped them build confidence and clearer career aspirations.

Nabiha Marzan, a civil engineering diploma student, said the digital and soft skills training improved her communication and eased her transition into industry. She credited supportive mentors for helping her understand real workplace practices, including labour management.

Md Mahidul Al Mafim shared that exposure across departments such as quality, maintenance and production broadened his occupational skills. He noted that CV writing and interview preparation provided by the ILO ProGRESS project helped him confidently navigate recruitment processes.

Towards National Scale-Up of the Model

The dialogue concluded with broad consensus on the need to institutionalize the re-modelled industrial attachment nationwide.

Stakeholders emphasized that scaling up will require:

• Sustained public–private collaboration

• Policy alignment across TVET reforms

• Formalized industry–institute partnerships

• Recognition mechanisms for participating employers

Building on the pilot's success, TMED, DTE and BTEB have expressed commitment to integrate the re-modelled approach into future TVET implementation plans and reforms.

The goal is clear: strengthen education-to-employment pathways, reduce skills mismatches, and enhance Bangladesh's competitiveness in both local and international labour markets.